MRF News 02/16/08

MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Michael "Boz" Kerr, MRF Vice-President
bozrf.org (e-mail)

26 February 2008

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is taking action in light of what
appears to be an alarming trend with high-level government agency and
cabinet-level appointees of President George W. Bush.

President Bush campaigned for the presidency on a platform of
"compassionate conservatism." During his campaign he often spoke of his
desire to reign in big government and his commitment to personal freedoms.
His message resonated with many in the motorcycling community and with the
leadership of the MRF at that time.

While the president continues to speak of his conservative approach to
public policy and respect for the rights of the states during this
election cycle, the practices of a growing number of his appointees seem
to be in marked contrast with his rhetoric. Both Mark Rosenker, Chairman
of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Mary Peters,
Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) have embarked on a
course that at first glance would seem out of place in a conservative
Republican administration.

Mr. Rosenker appears to be enamored with 1960s era "Great Society" style
programs. He is using his agency and his position to pressure every state
in the Union to adopt mandatory helmet laws for all motorcycle riders.

Ms. Peters must have a battalion of Philadelphia lawyers on her staff
watching over her as she walks on the edge of federal regulations. The DOT
secretary is on a budget-busting spending spree that would make a "New
Dealer" blush. She is not content to just spend the DOT's budget on social
engineering, she is crafting ways to legally skirt the letter and the
intent of SAFETY-LU (the highway funding act passed by the 109th congress)
to scoop up what ever monies she can to advance her personal mission, even
if such funds are a meager amount dedicated to aiding motorcycle rider
education.

The MRF finds this to be rather peculiar behavior in an administration
that bills itself as "compassionately conservative." Perhaps even more
peculiar is the fact that the president appears to be comfortable with his
appointees' actions. The MRF is certainly not comfortable as we watch
these presidential appointees lining up against us.

Our level of discomfort increases as we recall other issues with
appointees of the president. An unpleasant tussle with the Environmental
Protection Agency set the tone early on in this administration, followed
by Dr. Runge at the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration
referring to motorcyclists as the scourge of the highways.

While the MRF will aggressively fight any negative legislation that may be
introduced at the behest of these presidential appointees, we will not
waste time wrestling with the current lame duck administration that has
historically low approval ratings with the American public; we are looking
to the future.

The MRF is calling on the leadership of the Republican Party to explain to
us and to six million motorcycle-riding Americans if this is the type of
public policy that we can expect in the future should a Republican be
elected president in November. We will be writing a formal letter to Mike
Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, expressing our
displeasure over the course that the current administration has taken and
asking for assurances that this is not the direction that his party is
going to follow. A copy of that letter will be forwarded to Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader John Boehner.
We will also be asking for a meeting with Mr. Duncan, and will present him
with a questionnaire on motorcycle-related issues. We will ask that our
questionnaire be forwarded to the presidential nominee of his party.

The MRF will be making a similar request to Howard Dean, the Chairman of
the Democratic National Committee. When the questionnaires are completed
they will be posted on the MRF website and published in the MRF reports
without editorial comment, or any endorsement from the MRF.

Michael Kerr

MRF Vice President

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(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction
permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated
in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists' rights
organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists'
rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC,
the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted
exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early
1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause
of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists' rights organizations and the
very founders of the American riders' rights movement among its leading
members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and
regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public
awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists' rights
organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional
and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as
well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS.